Try A Tale of Two Cities, or something by Jane Austen...probably Pride and Prejudice. They are both famous authors, both dead, and their works are classics. Both of them will take some getting used to (because they wrote differently back then) But give them a chance, both are excellent.
John Saul is pretty good
Also, I'd recommend Swan Song by Robert McCammon. Don't be put off by the size. It is an excellent book! It is about a nuclear winter and evil.